The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-04-27
The French Conscript.

lie aIuual t'4t~.il lf-t'L ii4 D li--l''
which takes place al about this season.
I always causes certain ferment through
ont the country. This year, for obvious
reasons. II has been greater than usual.
( The family perturbation produced by the
4 drawing away Of so many young men
/ from their homes is necessarily great
and the canscript- themselves, from the
time chat they have gone through the OPP
Grafton called iroq. qo sort until they en-
/ Ter their barracks. made such aboisterous
] use Of their remaining hoUrs Of freedom
( that those who are not Immediately iu-
T tereste5 in this annual eherresrence 0i
/ Young blood cannot remain absolutely
/ Indifferent 20 II. II - the custom Of con-
scripts when they have drawn tAeiruum-
I bers 20 exhibit these 10 the world wheth-
er they are lucky or uulucsy.' on
pieces Of cardboard which they lasten 70
their hats and they frequently deck
themselves ont with maHy-coiored rib
/ bon- as we'll Then those who have been
drawn from the same localities form
themselves into taEds of twenty, thirty
I or more. and parade the towns and villa
.es. singing, shouting, and making az
much commotion as the public will en-
dure. SO long as they 10 not fight among
( themselves or assault other people. they
arr allowed 10 do pretty much as they
please. Everybody knows thatthe viii
shortly be put into uniform, and that
they viii have 20 behave Withthe utmost
circum-pection in public During these
last few days of blessed liberty. thc con
scripts pay frequent visits tp the VINE
shops. and smoke great many cigars
for tho-r who hase money spend il free
. .y. uot only upon them--lvr~. but upon
. their comrades who have none. Al pa
rents. moreover. unless tUev am. Jhjec' ly
poor. put something into their boys Pur-
~c- when they are leaving home 10 join
theaul.
When the festive season D. passed and
1 the conscript D, under military discipline,
great change comes over him Unless
/ Doe is exceptionally bright, lac has to put
up with much aha~e from those whose
duty il is to make "a soldier Of him.
( In France nu officer or -ub-otliccr is AZ
lowed 90 inhict corporal punishment
upon "a soldier but the language com
monty used a. stimulate the intelligence
Of novice could no, be- printed. even lH
% French pIper. without many a-teriskS.
/ Of all c1uScripjs. the Breton Is said to be-
! the most stupid and the most stubborn
/ uut 10 is not always remembered that he
comes from a district where the dialect
1 of the people oher~ no analogy 20 the
I French language, and that when he l.
drawn into the army the words of com
uand often sound o. his ear- like those
offs foreign tongue. By FAR the greater
number of French peasants are accustom-
I ed 90 speak pufois from their childhood.
and this circumstance add, not q little to
the roubles upon which they enter when
/ they leave the plow to join the army
! The French coDscript has not been week
1 in barracks before his face shows that
. the care, of life have begun 10 settle on
him. When the first trials Of soldering,
/ however. are over. h, becomes resigned
and cheerful.
Every Frenchman who has completed
. his twentieth wear j. Theoretically liable
/ f., serve i,, ve,rs I'm the army There
ara. however. som, cl.mptian, from BOZ.
. Dr. r....nd various uiu.,tIuns a- r-sir i-
,- aupiI.atrug. Most of these uIl Doe
..r. .,,ggy .,ti fI.. la,.-gr. which
Gep E5oIangrr propo,-, 20 lav before
Parliament this session is adopted. cir
..r,p-f.,Dr,. however may arise which
. ,.,ll cans. tbi- much talked Of bin O., ltr-
..,.r.., dead l,rt,.r Tia. law which Su'I
1.,ll. ...8 MAJ. ,lnpf.l iu 1872 whom
,,s. roup,r,. sill ll..3ipo fr,ri n. deer
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